Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn wrote the brilliant book, Half The Sky, in 2009. The entire premise flows out of the Chinese proverb that says “Women hold up half the sky.”
Being in Iraq since 2007, and working in Iraq’s hospitals since 2010, I’ve seen that proverb proven true time after time—women hold up half the sky.
Meet Dr. Zainab.
She is one of millions across the country holding up half the sky. And in this heart center, she just might be holding more than her share.
The words “women” and “Middle East” don’t usually bring up the most positive images in the West. We tend to think the worst, and no doubt, some of those images are true and justified. But usually we get so overwhelmed by the narrative in our head that we forget about the rest. We forget about the other, true narratives that inspire; the ones that bring hope and fly in the face of our preconceived stereotypes and projections.
Dr. Zainab is one of those narratives.
She brings years of education, experience, and knowledge to the local heart center. She is a force in the operating room, directing her team, teaching those under her, and inspiring through her own example and work ethic. Dr. Zainab is someone you want to follow. She is someone I want to follow. The medical staff aspires to be like her and the patients seek her out to be loved on, held, and listened to.
By investing in her, we aren’t just investing in a single individual. We’re investing in an entire heart center. We’re investing in thousands of patients she will serve in the coming years. And we’re investing in the millions of women across the country who look to women like her for inspiration and mentorship.
She is one of the many women whom you are helping invest in this mission—all filled with potential and determined to see the day when they’ll be able to play a key role in saving the hundreds of children in their city with heart defects.
You are helping that become a reality.
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